EVP and CFO Jeffrey N. Boyer will leave Pier 1 Imports effective Oct. 2, 2017. Boyer will transition to a new CFO role at Fossil Group, where he has been a board member since 2007. Pier 1 will use an executive search firm to help find a new CFO.

“On behalf of Pier 1 Imports’ Board of Directors and management team, we thank Jeff for his financial leadership and many contributions to Pier 1 Imports over the past two years,” said Alasdair James, President and CEO of Pier 1 in a statement. “Jeff manages a strong team that will continue driving our financial functions and supporting our strategy.”

In addition, the company has appointed IT veteran Bhargav J. Shah as SVP and Chief Information Officer, effective immediately. Shah joins Pier 1 with nearly 20 years of broad-based technology, digital and supply chain experience. Shah’s previous roles include CIO and Head of e-Commerce at IntegraCore, a global supply chain management company, and CIO and CTO at online retailer Overstock.com.

“We are pleased to have someone with Bhargav’s expertise join Pier 1 Imports,” said James. “He brings a diverse skill set that includes IT strategy, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as an impressive track record of driving automation and growth. Importantly, we also expect to benefit from his retail systems experience. We look forward to Bhargav’s contributions as our organization focuses on utilizing more data-driven initiatives to fuel efficiency, sophistication and improved performance.”

James A. Hilt, EVP and CMO of Express, has joined the Hibbett Sports Board of Directors and will serve on the company’s Audit Committee.

“With the recent launch of our transactional web site and our transition to a robust digital retailer, Jim’s experience in retail and background in optimizing e-Commerce strategies will be invaluable as we grow this business in the future,” said Mickey Newsome, Chairman of the Board of Hibbett Sports in a statement. “He also understands the importance of the brick-and-mortar presence as it relates to the digital experience, and knows how to leverage the customer base across channels.”

Hilt has served in his role at Express since March 2016. He joined the retailer in February 2014 as SVP of e-Commerce. Prior to Express, he held executive roles at Barnes & Noble, Sears Holdings and IBM.

“I am very pleased to join the Board of Hibbett Sports during this exciting transition to a fully functional digital retailer,” said Hilt in a statement. “With the majority of its store base in smaller, rural communities, we can now leverage our digital site to connect with our customer base. I believe that my past experience will provide a solid basis for me to contribute to Hibbett’s long-term strategy.”

]]>feed@retailtouchpoints.com (Klaudia Tirico)Retail Movers & ShakersThu, 17 Aug 2017 13:54:01 -0400Under Armour CEO Resigns From Pres. Trump’s Manufacturing Councilhttp://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/retail-movers-and-shakers/under-armour-ceo-resigns-from-pres-trump-s-manufacturing-council
http://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/retail-movers-and-shakers/under-armour-ceo-resigns-from-pres-trump-s-manufacturing-councilUnder Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank said he is stepping down from President Donald Trump's American Manufacturing Council. The CEOs of Under Armour, Intel and Merck have resigned from the council in the wake of Trump's heavily criticized initial response to a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

“We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing,” Plank said in a statement. “However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.”

Plank and Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel, both resigned from the council after Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier announced his intention to step down “as a matter of personal conscience…to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.”

Krzanich also was vocal in his statement of resignation, indicating that he “resigned to call attention to the serious harm our divided political climate is causing to critical issues, including the serious need to address the decline of American manufacturing. Politics and political agendas have sidelined the important mission of rebuilding America’s manufacturing base."

Trump's council now consists of 24 members. The CEOs of companies such as Campbell Soup, U.S. Steel, General Electric, Ford, Dow Chemical and Dell are among those who remain. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk left the manufacturing council and a separate policy council in June following the president's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord.

Payless ShoeSource has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after closing approximately 700 stores and eliminating more than $435 million in debt. When the restructuring officially is complete, Paul Jones will retire as CEO.

In merely four months after filing for bankruptcy in April, Payless paid off nearly half of the $847 million of debt it had built up under its private equity ownership. The massive debt elimination in such a short period of time is a good sign for the footwear retailer in an environment where other traditional brands are struggling to pay off significant debt. As part of the restructuring, Payless has a much cleaner balance sheet to work with, as well as improved terms on leases and vendor contracts worldwide.

Despite the closures, Payless is still bullish on brick-and-mortar, particularly on a global scale. The retailer is planning to open more stores across Latin America and develop new franchises in Asia. The retailer also plans to invest $234 million over five years on systems that will allocate inventory quickly in response to customer demand and improve its competitiveness online, according to a report from Reuters.

Already operating 400 stores in Latin America, Payless plans to add 22 locations across Peru, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua in 2017. In 2018, the retailer plans to continue its Latin American expansion.

It may be considered a risk to jump into new regions and new brick-and-mortar stores so soon after a restructure. But the fact is Latin America contributed nearly 40% of the company's $95 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in 2016.

Payless has appointed a new Executive Committee to take on Jones’ responsibilities, which includes:

Michael Massey will leave his post as President and CEO of PetSmart, a position he has held since the company went private in 2015. Board member Raymond Svider, a managing partner at lead investor BC Partners, will oversee the company’s operations with the senior leadership team. The PetSmart board has initiated a search for Massey’s replacement.

Massey led the retailer through a period of strategic transformation that included the acquisition of e-Commerce pet retailer Chewy for a record $3.35 billion in April 2017. PetSmart operates more than 1,500 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico as well as 200+ in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities.

“Michael was instrumental in creating an efficient, customer-focused retail organization and developing the company’s growth strategy,” said Svider in a statement. “This includes the recent acquisition of Chewy, making PetSmart the leading brick-and-mortar and online retailer in the industry.”

]]>feed@retailtouchpoints.com (Adam Blair)Retail Movers & ShakersMon, 14 Aug 2017 10:02:03 -0400Sally Beauty Appoints DSW COO As Presidenthttp://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/retail-movers-and-shakers/sally-beauty-appoints-dsw-coo-as-president
http://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/retail-movers-and-shakers/sally-beauty-appoints-dsw-coo-as-presidentSally Beauty Holdings has appointed Carrie McDermott as President of its Sally Beauty operations in the U.S. and Canada, effective August 29, 2017.

McDermott brings more than 31 years of retail leadership experience to the Sally Beauty team. Prior to joining Sally Beauty, McDermott served nine years in roles of increasing responsibility with DSW Inc., where she most recently served as COO. In this role, she led the company’s operations and marketing strategy, which included strategic brand positioning, media, creative and customer loyalty touch points.

Prior to that role, McDermott served as DSW’s EVP of Sales and Operations, where she was responsible for driving the company’s omnichannel initiatives, launching ship-from-store and opening 200 stores. Prior to working at DSW, McDermott had leadership roles with other retailers, including Cooper’s, Inc., Gap and Barnes & Noble.

“Carrie’s keen understanding of customer engagement and proven track record of building and driving sales in a demanding retail environment will help accelerate our progress in becoming the leading provider of salon-quality products in the retail sector,” said Chris Brickman, President and CEO of Sally Beauty Holdings. “I am very pleased to have Carrie join our team.”

Global Brands Group Holding Limited, an apparel, footwear and fashion accessories company, has appointed stylist Jamie Mizrahi as Creative Director of Juicy Couture Fashion, Accessories, Sleepwear, Footwear and Jewelry. She will be responsible for overseeing the creative vision of all Juicy Couture inventory.

According to Fashionista, Mizrahi plans to incorporate a more athleisure style to the brand.

“Juicy Couture is an iconic, American brand, with an incredibly strong brand identity,” said Mizrahi in a statement. “As creative director my goal is to celebrate the brand's rich history while keeping today’s consumer in mind. Our target is the exact same girl we’ve marketed to from day one, but just like her we have and will continue to grow and evolve.”

Mizrahi is known for styling celebrities such as Katy Perry, Eva Mendes, Kate Upton and more. Last year, she held a consulting role at Juicy Couture when the company was making its comeback while maintaining a foothold in the retail industry. Juicy Couture has since collaborated with and brought its signature velour tracksuits to retailers such as Vetements, Urban Outfitters and Topshop.

“Having grown up as a Juicy fan, Jamie has an inherent connection to the brand and its consumer,” said Sandra Campos, President of Juicy Couture, Global Brands Group in a statement. “Her unique creative vision and strong leadership style will be instrumental as she leads Juicy into the next phase of growth. We are thrilled to welcome someone of Jamie’s caliber to this position, as we believe she brings a unique blend of fashion and entertainment expertise that is a natural fit for the evolution of Juicy apparel and accessories.”

Avon Products, Inc. announced that its CEO Sheri McCoy will resign her role on March 31, 2018, after failing to turn the struggling company around as she had promised shareholders.

The announcement follows Avon’s lackluster Q2 report, which revealed a decline in sales and the number of Avon sellers. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that McCoy was under pressure from investors Barrington Capital Group LP and partner NuOrion Partners AG after Avon’s stock dipped heavily. The investors went as far as requesting Avon to replace McCoy, as she had “overseen a tremendous destruction of shareholder value,” according to WSJ.

"Leading Avon for the past five years alongside Avon's dedicated management, associates and Representatives has been an honor, and I am proud of what we have achieved together," McCoy said in a statement. "We've made great progress in strengthening the Avon brand through new positioning, increased investment in social media, and innovative, high-quality products. The platform is in place for a new CEO to continue accelerating the pace of change and take Avon to sustainable profitable growth. I look forward to continuing to drive the Avon business forward and to working with our leadership team to ensure a smooth transition."

Costco Wholesale Corp. Chairman of the Board Jeff Brotman died in his sleep on August 1. Brotman co-founded the chain with former CEO Jim Sinegal in 1983. Costco currently operates 736 warehouse stores in 11 countries and is the world’s third largest retailer as measured by sales. Brotman had served as chairman of the company since 1994.

The cause of death has not been announced. According to the Seattle Times, on Monday, July 31, Brotman attended a dinner for approximately 2,000 Costco managers from around the world who are gathered in Seattle, near the company headquarters in Issaquah, Wash.

Sinegal and Brotman’s complementary business skills helped the company grow into the global powerhouse it has become, with Sinegal overseeing operations and finances while Brotman handled the real estate end. Sinegal said Brotman “became an expert” at choosing where new Costco warehouses should be located, according to the Seattle Times report.

CommerceHub, a distributed commerce network for retailers and brands, has promoted Kathleen Conley to the position of Senior VP of Operations. In her new position, Conley will be responsible for managing product and services delivery teams, which includes platform onboarding, customer service, product training and other advisory services.

Previously, Conley served as the company’s Vice President of Operations, a role she held since 2014. Prior to joining CommerceHub, Conley directed Corporate Services at Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan (CDPHP) for nine years, overseeing the project management office and implementing various development and technology initiatives. She also led the development and implementation of software and enterprise-wide systems at Bank of America, Viewlocity Inc. and other companies.

"Kathleen has delivered tremendous value leading our platform operations teams that support our growing network of over 10,000 customers — including some of the world’s largest retailers," said Frank Poore, Founder and CEO of CommerceHub in a statement. "She has advanced the scalability and efficiency of our operations into a competitive advantage in the market.”